Machine for orienting and driving longitudinally asymmetrical headless fasteners



May 19, 1953 L. E. AUSTIN $72,638,945

" MACHINE FOR ORIENTING AND DRIVING LONGITUDINALL ASYMMETRICAL' HEADLESS FASTENERS v Filed Nov. 12, 1949 SSheets-Sheet 1 L. E. AUSTIN May 19, 1953' MACHINE FOR ORIENTING AND DRIVING .LONG'ITIJDINALLY- Filed Nov. 12, .1949

ASYMMETRICAL HEADLESS, .v FASTENERS- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm QWN INVENTOR.

May 19, 1953 1.. E. AUSTIN MACHINE FOR ORIENTING AND DRIVING LONGITUDINALLY ASYMMETRICAL HEADLESS FASTENERS M Filed Nov. 12, 1949 3 Sheets-Shet 3 J M r IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE tot ORIENTING AND nivfivo LONGITUDINALLY ASYMMETRICAL HEAD- LESS FASTENERS 1 Leonard Edmond Austin, Chicago, Ill assignor to .Illinois'ToolaWorks, Chicago, Ill" acorp rat o ApplicationNovember 12', 1949, Serial No. 126,883

desired to utilize headless screws,-which*- well illustrate the studs my: feeding means are to handle; so that it is unnecessary to countersink the-screw hole to have the screw set'flush with or below the surface of the object into "which itis threaded, Such screws maybe provided with cross' slots or' other types of sockets for driving them, but having. no heads with diameters. greater than the shanks, such screws present many problems as to their orientation in an" automatic delivery mechanism. apparentthat if a screw were to be delivered upside down toxa work piece it would not enter the aperture into. which it is to be threaded in the manner desired and no slot' or other socket would be presented tothe driving member."

It is an object of the present invention' to provide a hopper and ,orienting and delivery 'means for. automatically feeding headless, studs to apower driver.

An" ancillary object of this invention is to provide means for automatically orienting headless studs.

.A more. particular objectof this invention is to provide means for feeding headless studs and more particularly to provide means for orienting headless studs which will retain oriented studs and release those which are not oriented.

ancillary object is thejpr'oyision of a plurality of edged elements engageable with the threads of properly oriented. screws or with necks of reduced diameter of other headless s ds to retainthem during orientation.

" further object is the provision ofa'hopper 'c ntaining-a-rotarydrum having a V'-shaped Yet another object or the present invention is the provision 'ofmechanism for receivingstuds from said foregoing delivery means and shifting said-studs into driving position:

1; Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be -apparent from thefollowing description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

---Figure 1-is--a-perspective view of a power screw driver embodying the invention.

- Fig. -2- is-a fragmentary view in front elevation of the power screw driver of Fig. 1. Fig. :3 "iS' an" enlarged view in" horizontal sec-' tion-taken; substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken along the line- 4' 4 of Fig. A v

, .Fig. 5 is aview partly :in section taken along the'line 5'5 of Fig. 3.

' Fig. 6 isa sectional view taken along'the line 6--6-ofFig.'5'." r Fig. '7.is an enlarged sectional view of the hopper along the line 1+1 of Fig. 4.

line 'I2'l2 of Fig. 10.

.'As shown in the drawings," a power "screw driver. which" forms one. embodiment of the present invention comprises a standard drill press'ld (Fig.,1) to which is attached a plurality'oi additional and substitute or auxiliary mechanisms by which the drill press is adapted for use as a hopper fed power driven screw driver for driving headless "screws. The drill press [4 comprises a main base or stand It on which'ismounted'a' hollow supporting column or post l8 carrying at its upper end a vertically adjustablehead unit 20 spaced above a vertically adjustable work .table 22. The head unit 20 includes the usual mounting frame 24 secured in adjustable v position by conventional means which .fo m no, ar hi nv o The frame 24 is provided with supports ,26, only one of, whichyis shown in the drawings, for securing the motor mounting, plate 28 to, which is securedthe usual driye motor- 30, the shaft of which projects upwardly. and carries at its upper end a pulley 3.2...which..conveniently maybe a four step pulley driving. .a j.belt,'3 l .passing over 251, all as disclosed in my copending application,

Serial No. filed December it, titled Power Screw Driver. The spindle pref erably carries a socket or other tool engaging structure at its lower end wherein is secured a er which for illustrative purposes is shown as a screw driver blade for engaging a slotted. sore A reciprocating mechagenerally desgnated as and provided with a connection encircling th spindle and secured to the vertica ly reciprocable quill pro vided to sh it the s; ndie and driving member vertically. The reciprocating mechanism may comprise a actuator or motor and may be similar to the quill actuator St disclosed in my copending application re erred to above. Reciprocation of the mechanism is controlled by means of linkage d6 actuated by a foot pedal 48.

The hopper and screw orienting mechanism The additional and substitute or auxiliary mechanism or means comprises screw feeding means including a screw feeding hopper N (Figs.

2 and 5), an escapement or scr w feeding control device 4% operating. in conjunction with a screw delivery tube Elil, and a screw locating mechanism 52.

Driving power is provided for the hopper y and driving ithin a hollow post A worm gear 52. cooperating; with a worm on the lower end of the shaft 58 i loosely mounted on the hopper driving shaft I35- and a friction clutch rin is secured thereto. A driv ing disk is splined to the shaft 64 for rotation therewith and for axial movement relative thereto. A coil spring ll? encircling the shaft 654 is in terposed between the driving disk '58 and awasher I2 bearing against a nut l4 threaded on the end of the shaft It will be evident that the coil spring ii maintains the driving disk 68 in driving engagement with friction clutch ring E5 5 which rotates with the worm gear bfihbut the spring permits outward axial movement of the driving disk 38 to disconnect the shaft from the worm gear to prevent damage in case of a jam within the hopper and orien --ng mechanism pres" ently to be described. lhe gearing and clutch mechanism are housed within a casting 'IB having an extending arm l8 (Fig. 2) secured to the supporting column or post M by any desirable means. The shaft 64 may he journaled in a suitable antifriction bearing l9 secured in the housing. A cover til is bolted to the casting it to completely enclose the gearing and clutch.

A sleeve 82 extends horizontally from the casting ill and encircles the shaft (it. A collar as is secured over the sleeve 82 by cooperating threads, screws or any other desirable means, and to this collar is secured a circular hopper support plate 8%; by means such as screws 8% (Fig. '7). An outer plate or cover $2 having a scoop or screw feed trough '92 is secured to the support plate 3% by bolts El i encircled by spacers 96.

Between the support plate 36 and the cover 9% is situated an open-ended drum 98 secured to the end of the shaft fi l for rotation therewith. The drum comprises a circular plate I80 held on the shaft by a nut I82 threaded on an extend ing portion Hi l of reduced diameter of the shaft position that they may enter radial apertures I It with either the slotted end or the non-slotted end directed toward the center of the drum. The diameter of each of the apertures I I I] is sub ficiently larger than the diameter of the screws to allow ready entry thereof, and the recesses may be tapered or flared outwardly at the inwardly directed ends further to facilitate such entr The outer end of each aperture is provided with a plug H2 having a radially inwardly directed finger H4 of sufficiently small diameter to fit within the cross slot of a headless screw fed by the mechanism. The periphery of the rim I08 has two difierent diameters with the portion I I6 of lesser diameter being toward the shaft 64 and providing a shoulder II'l adjacent the apertures Hi3 and plugs H2. Peripherally spaced about the portion Hf of lesser diameter are a plurality of screw-securing or retaining elements II8 pivotally secured as by screws I20. Edges of the screw-retaining elements I I8 extend partially within the apertures iii] and are provided with knife edges I22, as may best be seen in Figs. 10 and. 12, for small screws. For screws having coarser threads, the edges need not be so sharp. Bias is provided by springs I24 looped about the screws I2il and abutting the shoulder ill and engaging the elements H8 to maintain the knife edges I22 normally within the apertures IIil. A cam I26 which may have an arcuate extent of approximately forty-five degrees is secured to the supporting plate 86 near the bottom thereof as by screws I28 to abut against th elements H8 to cause said elements to pivot about the mounting screws 92% against the action of the biasing springs I24 to remove the knife edges I22 from the apertures I II], throughout the period when screws tumbled in the rotary drum 98 may enter the apertures III) by the action of gravity. A cam I38 overlies the plate at the top thereof and has a camming surface i321 engageable with the screw securing elements I53. This cam may have an arcuate extent of only a few degrees and may be secured in place by a set screw I3 3 and locking nut I35. It should be noted that the shapes of the camming surface i32 and the butt ends of the elements H8 are such as to ensure rapid. pivotal movement of the eleinens.

A supporting member $33 is secured to the trough 92 of the cover 99 by means such as a bolt I49 to secure the top end 5 2 of the screw delivery tube 53 which in turn supports a screw receiving mechanism I44 in alignment with the apertures I I0. With reference to Fig. 8 it may be seen that a screw extending inwardly from an aperture I I0 would strike the screw receiving mechanism I44 and would cause the mechanism to jam were not some provision made for such an eventuality. To preclude a jam under such circumstanccs, the screw-receiving mechanism I 44 is constructed as may be seen best in Figs. 9 and 11 in a plurality of parts. The base I 46 comprises a substantially solid block which is vertically centrally apertured at 248 to receive the upper end I42 of the screw delivery tube 50 and manners screws-released i'romtheiapertures I I0. A'pair of guide-members I50rand I52arepivotally secured to the' base I46and supported thereabove by depending arms I54 and I 56 respectively. The arms may be formed integral with the guide members if desired. The arms I54 and I56 are apertured adjacent their lower ends and are ==-pivotally secured to the base I46 by screws or bolts I58 threaded'into thebase. The top of the base I46 -is'-formed=as an arc of a circle as maybe seen in 'Fig."9,'as are the top and bottom surfaces of the guides I50 and I52: Cooperatingapertures I60 and I6I are provided in the base I46 andin the guides I50 and I52 for receiving coil springs I62 normally to bias the guides I50 and I52 into engagement with'one another. The engaging surfaces of the guides are each slotted in the'shape of a'semicircle as at 164 to provide a bore leading into the bore I48*of "the base I46: Abeveled portion I66 is-provided adjacent theupper surface of the'guides and leading into'the semicircular portions I64 in order best to-receive screws fromthe drum 98. The upper and facing surfaces of each guide I50 and I52 are cutaway at an angle to provide cam surfaces I68- leading intothe bore formed by the semicircular portions Operation of the hopper and (is socz'cited" H screw orienting v.mechav zism I H A plurality of headless screws I10 may be dumped into the hopper through the trough 92. The drum 98 is rotated by the shaft 64'and due 'tothe V-shape of the inner surface of the drum, screw elements tend to fall into the apertures I I under the force of gravity. -The diameter'of the apertures I I0 asnoted'heretofore is sufficiently greater than that of the screws I to allow ready entry of the screws into the'apertures with either end of the screws down. The apertures further may be tapered or flared outwardly at the inner ends'to facilitate movement of the screws thereinto which also has been pointed out heretofore. 'As the knife edges I 22 of the screw retaining elements I I8 in the lower portion of the drum" have been removed from the apertures II 0 by the action of the cam I26, the knife edges will not interfere with screws falling into the apertures H0. If a screw falls into an aperture with the slotted end downthe' pin or'finger H4 will enter the slot and the screw willabut against the plug 'When' each screw retaining element [I8 leavesthe cam I26 it will be pivoted into its normal position by its associated spring I24 and theknife edge I22will engage the threads of the I screw to secure the screw when it is inverted by the rotation of'thedrum, as shown in' Fig. 12. If a screw enters an aperture 'I'I0 with the slotted end up, the screw will rest on top'of the pin or finger I'I4and the knife edge will not en age the threads of the screw but will clear the screw enface I32 striking the screw securing element II8 so' that the screw I10 may'drop from the positionshown in Fight; down throu h.-.the :screw receiv ing'mechanism I44 into the upper end I42 of the screw delivery tube 50. If for any reason a screw should 'b'e caughtv extending inwardly-iromfthe rim' :I 06 it: will not cause :any' *damage" but" will engage .the camming surfaces I 68 of the guides I50,- I52 to spread said guides and let the' -s'crew pass through thei receiving mechanism with 'no damagea I a The; remcinde r ofi the screw delivery m c ani m I'helowerv end ofithe screw delivery tube 50 ispositioned adjacent the-screw locating mechanism 52 and-secured thereto bya holdingmember 114. ,The' placement mechanism comprises a stationary base-| 16 which may be secured-:to the work table 22.- The base I16 has-a.'slot- :I18 in Whicha slide block I is *reciprocably. mounted. Thexslidez block is provided at, the end beneath the-screw deliveryitubc 50 with ,a vertical apertu-re l82to receive screws from'thedelivery tube and, at the-otherendwith. aslug I8I cooperable with an adjustable shoulder -I83.-carried :bythe base I16. A wedge-shaped. supporting element I84 mayiunderlieathe bore-or aperture I82 to support screws'swithin the aperture, and other means such as a spring-pressed pin or ball might be located within the aperture .toengage-the screw andhold it imposition if desired. Tothe other end of the slide-.block...l80..is pivotally secured a link I86 which is .pivotally secured to the lower arm I88 of .a bell crank lever I60. The bell crank lever is pivotally mounted on an arm I92 extending' upwardly and rearwardly from the base I16. The uppe'r'arm l94 ofithe bell crank lever is'pivotally'securedto a block I96 through which an actuating arm I98 extends downwardly. A coil spring 200 encircles the arm I98" and abuts the block I96and a collar 202 secured to the arm I 98. The arm I98, as may be seen in'Figs. land 2, is secured to part of the 'v'erticallyreciprdcable mechanism 44:

The-Fescapement mechanism 48 includes a pair of horizontal pins 204 and 206 vertically displaced from one another and slidably mountedin'a guide 208. The=free endsof the pins 204 and206 alternately enter apertures in the screwdelivery tube 50 to dropthe screws-one-by-one.- The-opposite 'extremityof the arm 204 is connected througha link 2H1 to a pivot 212 on the 'upper arm I94 of the bell-crank lever slightly =above' its mounting pivot. The pin 206 is-similarly connected through a link 2 I4 to a pivot 2I6 on the lower armIBB of the bell crank lever-slightly below the mounting pivot. The link H0 is shown inFig.-6 and it is to be understood that the -link 2I4"is-similar thereto. The link comprises a cylinder 2 I8 having a connecting rod 220 threaded into one end of it. The other end of the cylinder is closed by a cap 222'threaded onto theend and the pin 204 extends through an axial aperture in this cap. A cellar 224' is secured tothepin 204 within the cylinder 2'48 to'prevent axial separation and a compression spring 226' is carried within the cylinder and abutting against'the collar to resist relative axial motion of thepinand cylinder toward one another.- 1

Operation of the screw placement mechanism The operation of the screw placement mechanism maybe understood most readily with reference to Fig. 5 wherein the apparatus is shown in conjunction with a sleeve 2223 to be secured on a rod 230 by'a set screw'threaded intothe aperture 232. With the parts'in the position shown in Fig. 5 it may be assumed that the apparatus or. ads to pivot the cell crank lever and along 113 surface of the cylinder until wove e izicol: to the left. The end of the screw he may drop the support and U encounters the aperture 232, or the screw may be vithin the aperture 552 as heretofore l1 reach its proper dish of the downstopped by the cooper: and respectivel lnen ate for th k the the co 1 c er! delivery tube to drop -hey are caught and supported which has been advanced into the y tube. After the screw has been GllVell into its desired position the reciprocatory mechanism t l scren driver are raisedfroin their driving p 'siticn and this raises the It is to be understood that a step 233 such as a pin or nut (see Fig. 5) is provided so tn' t the an. i258 will not withdraw from the block i cause the bell crank lever to pivot co more] ckvrise direction. This slides the slide bl f" see into the screw receiving position sho a in rig. and retracts th 3; l 2% so that a sore.

be dro' ed into the aperture 582. The re entry of the A n into the screw delivery tune causes the pin to re-engage and support the column of screws Within the tube. The coil spring and associated structure, as well as the links i and 2 i i, prerent damage to the mechanism in the event of jamming, and addit' nally provide for a certain amount of st motion so that, as heretofore noted, the slide block I iii? may come to before th cessation. of vertical incvement of the screw driver '42, and additionally so that one of the pins 34-, may engage the column of screws before the other disengagcs tn column to ensure the proper dropping of screws.

t will be seen from the foregoing description that I have herein presented means for use in conjunction with a power driven screw driver to deliver headless screws to be driven said screw driver. Said means will deliver screws only in upright driving position and incorporate vari safety mechanisms for preventing damage should any of the mechanism be jammed as by improperly positioned screws.

Although a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that this is for illustrative purposes only and that changes may be made in the form, construction arrangement of the parts Without sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a mechanism for feeding longitudinally to allow M reou means, means I oriented and in lll'lOlLol'lUSd positions, means for determining the longitudinal position of the I hetercgeneously positioned lengitc.

8 aligned stud means according to their longitudinal asymmetry, means for engaging and retaining those of said stud means which in one longitudinal position, means for rotating said hop; neans at a continuous uniform and means for operating engaging means in timed relatio. to the rotation of said hopper means.

2. In a mechanism feeding longitu inally asymmetrical stud means, hoppe means including a rotatable drum for receivi g a mass or" a ly asymmetrical stud means, said drum ng a pin-- raiity of inwardly opening holes closed at the periphery of said drum for aligning said stud means in oriented an in unoriented positions, means for determin ng the longitu a1 position of the aligned stu ans according to their lon al asymmetry, reans for rotating to move a nei. stud means, and.

means for engaging and retaining those of said stud means in one longitud position "wherein/y to deliver all of said stud means in said one position to a delivery station i ie preventing delivy i all of said st 5 in another positi 3. n a mechanl fe ng longitudinal asymmetrical stud means, hop er for receiving a mass of heterog neously positi ned longitudinally asymmetrical stud means, ans

for al gning stud means in oriented and in ented positions, means for deter re ative longitudinal positioning of or n unoriented aligned stud means diilere' tl for engaging and retaining those said stud means in one of said aligned positions while not retaining those in the other of said aligned positions whereby to deliver those in one said positive means for disengaging sa retaining means to release the stud in said one position at said station.

4. in a mechanism for feeding tudinall" asymmetrical 5. means for recei mg a mass of heterogeneously positioned longitudinally asymmetrical stud to a predetermined station.

5.111 a mechanism for feeding dissimilarly ended elongated elements, a hoppe rotary drum receiving elongated eots ifCl said hopper, said rotary drum having a pit. ality of substantially radial apertures opening inwardly into said drum for receiving and aligning elements radially of said drum, means fixed in the outer end of each of said apertures and cooperably interfitting with a predetermined one of each element to determine the radial positionof said elements dependent upon which end of an element enters an aperture, and means associated with said rotary drum for retaining in said apertures only such of said elements as are in a predetermined radial position.

6. Means for feeding dissimilarly ended elongated elements as claimed in claim 5 in which the retainin'gmeans is movabl with=1said idrumand 'is prov ided with an element -engaging..-port1on to engage only elements having a. distinguishing end fe'ature in cooperative engagement with the radial positioning'determining me'ansx: 1:

7-. Means forfeeding =dissimilarly ended1 elo gated elements as claimed in claim Sl in which the retaining means comprises a plurality fmembers normally u-rged into engagement :with said elements, and said-mechanism further "includes means-for actuating said me'mbers in suc cession -in the l "opposite direction to 'disengage said 'elements when said elements have ubeen shifted by movement of saidrotar y drum. 11

8. In a mechanism for feeding dissimilarly ended" elongated elements, 'a hopper, a rotary drum receiving dissimilarly ended elongated elements from "said hopper,-* said rotary" drum having a -plurality"ofsubstantially radial apertures, means in said apertures engaging the ends of said elements, a plurality-of members extending into said apertures 'a'nd'shifting 'with said rotary drum for retaining the elements when-a predeterminedone of the dissimilar ends is engaged, "and means for" retracting Jsaid retaining members successively to'release the retained elements after movement thereof by rotationof said drum; :1

9. In a power driven 'dri'verpf the type'having a supporting column, a work table, and a rectilinearly shiftable driving member, means for feeding headless, dissimilarly ended elongated fastening elements having no enlarged end portion, comprising a hopper, means receiving said elements from said hopper for aligning headless fastening elements in oriented and in unoriented positions, means for engaging an end of said dissimilarly ended headless fastening elements, and means effective in cooperation with said end engaging means for retaining those of said fastening elements in one of said positions, means for positioning said headless fastening elements adjacent said work table, and delivery means for transferring oriented fastening elements from said receiving means to said positioning means.

10. Means for feeding headless, dissimilarly ended elongated fastening elements as claimed in claim 9 in which an escapement mechanism cooperates with the delivery means to deliver one fastening element at a time to the positioning means.

11. In a power driven driver of the type having a supporting column, a work table, and a rectilinearly shiftabledriving member, means for feeding headless, dissimilarly ended elongated fastening elements comprising a hopper, means for receiving said headless fastening elements from said hopper and orienting said elements, means for delivering headless fastenin elements from said orienting means to a location adjacent the path of motion of said driving member, and transversely shiftable means for accepting headless fastening elements from said delivery means, and means operable in timed relation with rectilinear shifting of said driving member to shift said shiftable means to position said headless fastening elements in the path of motion of said driving member.

12. Screw feeding means comprising a hopper including an end plate and a cover placed from said end plate, an open-ended rotary drum in said hopper, means for introducing a plurality of screws of the type having drivin means at one end past said cover into said rotary drum, said drum defining a plurality of substantially radial apertures, zsaid apertures. being adapted: to: re:- ceivetscrewsz longitudinally disposed iradially of said drum; means lclosing the :outer peripheral ends "of said apertures and coopera'blec with the driving nrieansizof; said screws; to ipositioniethe screws ilongitudinally, andmeanscarried:=by'isaid drum engageable with screws :inz' the apertures having! their drivingends facing the outerlperiphieryeiof saidcdrum for retaining such screws.

' 13. .Initaepower'rdrivenlscrew .drivers'havinga supportin column, a work table, a rotary power source; andsarectilinearly shiftablerotary screw driving \member, .\meansifor feeding screws comprisingiahoppen'a awrotary drum receiving head less screwsi from saidi'hopper, imeansiforidriving said rotary drum fromlsaid rotary power source,

vmeanseassociatedtwith :said' drum for .iorientin'g headless screws, means for positioning-headless screws. adjacent 'said.swork' table and laterally spacedl'relative -itosthe screwdriving member. from a .work;,area-: on ssaid-z table, means linking Fsa-id positioning means and saidrotary screw driving member.- to. shift said-positioning means laterally of theiscrew, :driving member. toward said; work area in, response to rectilinear movement'oflsaid screw drivingam-ember, means-for transferring oriented headless screws from saidz rotary drum to saidpositioning means, an escapementmechanism associated with =said: transferring"imeans, and means including resilient means'link-ing said escapement mechanism and said rotary screw driving member for operation of said escapement mechanism in response to rectilinear movement of said screw driving member.

14. In a power driven screw driver of the type having a supporting column, a work table, a rotary power source and a rectilinearly shiftable rotary screw driving member, means for feeding headless screws of the type having a driving socket, said headless screw feeding means comprising a hopper including an end plate and a cover spaced therefrom, an open ended rotary drum, means for driving said rotary drum from said rotary power source, said drum defining a plurality of substantially radial apertures adapted to receive screws longitudinally arranged substantially radially of said drum when tumbled into said apertures by rotation of said drum, pins extending radially inwardly in each of said apertures and engageable with the driving sockets of said screws, edged elements adjacent each of said apertures engageable with the threads of headless screws when the sockets of said screws cooperate with said pins, a cam carried by said end plate preventing engagement of said edged elements with screws when screws first enter said apertures, a second cam on said end plate removing each edged element from contact with a screw to release each screw as it reaches a predetermined position, means for receiving each of said screws as released and delivering each of said screws adjacent an axial projection of said rotary screw driving member, and means receiving headless screws one at a time from said delivery means and positively shifting said headless screws into axial alignment with said screw driving member in response to rectilinear movement of said rotary screw driving member.

15. Screw feeding means comprising a hopper including an end plate and a cover spaced therefrom, an open ended rotary drum for receiving screws from said hopper, said drum defining a plurality of substantially radial apertures adapted to receive screws of the type having a driving socket when longitudinally arranged substantially radially of said drum, pins extending radially inwardly in each of said apertures and engageable with the driving sockets of said screws, edged elements adjacent each or" said apertures engageable with the threads of screws when the driving sockets of said screws cooperate with said pins, a cam carried by said end plate preventing engagement of said edged elements when screws first enter said apertures, and a second cam on said end plate removing each edged ele at from contact with a screw when the screw reaches a predetermined station.

7 id. Screw feeding means comprising a hopper, a rotary for receiving screws from said hopper, said drum defining a plurality of substantially radial apertures adapted to receive screws of the type having a driving socket when the screws are longitudinally arranged substantially radially of said drum, extending radially inwardly in each of said apertures and engagea'ole with the driving sockets of said screws, means adjacent each of said apertures engageaicle with the threads or said screws when the driving sockets of said screws cooperate with s d pins, :Lieans cooperabie with the thread eng 3 means for preventing engagement thereof when screws first enter said apertures, and means removing said thread engaging means from engagement with a screw when the screv. reaches a predetermined station.

17. Apparatus for feeding dissimilarly ended stud means, comprising means for feeding such stud means successively and substantially transversely along a predetermined path, means in said feeding means interfitting with one end of each stud means and not with the other end for longitudinally positioning the stud means therein in one of two positions according to their end for end rotation, means on said feeding means for engagingand retaining the stud means in one of said two positions, and means fixed in position adjacent said path for engaging and positively releasing means for retaining the stud means at a predetermined location.

LEONARD EDMOND AUSTIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,739,422 Schmidt Dec. 10, 1929 1,863,314 Phelps et a1 June 14, 1932 1,958,248 Bunk May 8, 1934 1,984,282 Ray Dec. 11, 1934 2,060,182 Dellaree Nov. 19, 1936 2,264,105 Vv'hite Nov. 25, 1941 2,328,383 Lea et a1 Aug. 31, 1943 2,433,096 Davis Dec. 23, 194"] 

